I can understand when cubase ws the leading DAW in cubase SX days.
but these days it doesnt make sense to me.
for ProTools being the most expensive DAW makes some sense because 90% of studios use ProTools.
but cubase is just on the same +/- level with StudioOne, Logic, Sonar, Fl Studio etc,
why does it cost so much and .5 upates are not free ? why ?
( please dont get me wrong or turn this question into a heated debate or DAW vs DAW or arguing and so on )
What answer do you expect?
What do you want to achieve with your posting?
I start: Cubase is NOT expensive. It is worth the money.
BTW – the development costs of StudioOne are for sure WAY lower than for cubase. The developers of the newer DAWs jsutt took knowhow with them and reimplemented something that Steinberg had created (or they had created paid by Steinberg).
I disagree that Cubase is on the same level as Studio One or FL. I don’t even think it’s close. I don’t know anything about Logic though. The price is “expensive” because customers are willing to pay it. It is set by what the market will bear (unless the government controls prices).
I dont think it is expensive for pro audio software. Not even a week in payback time and all tax deductible If you want to use it as a non pro well its up to you, if you dont think its worth the price go elsewhere.
Hippo
For what I do, it’s worth the money. It’s more “feature rich” than any other that I know of.
I’m not sure what you mean by “leading” but even in the SX days I’m not sure if Steinberg sold more units than PT, remembering all the variations plus the old free version of PT. My perception was Sonar then was very competitive. Acid was dying fast. Frooty was evolving from just a drum machine, and Cubase and Sonar received a boost when Apple purchased Emagic.
Each DAW seems to have very different business models. You for got to even mention Reaper.
Because you care too much for money.
I don’t think it’s overly expensive considering the wealth of the feature set.
Because it’s great!
Couple of cost comparisons
Logic Pro 7 cost $1000 until Apple started subsiding it with iPhones. And IMHO Cubase is far superior, (although that’s a separate conversation).
$50 for a partial upgrade and $100 for a full upgrade on alternating years seems very reasonable to me considering the constant development and improved feature set.
Also there are cheaper versions of Cubase (artist and elements) for people who don’t make their living with Cubase.
…wait…conspiracy theory…lol
does Infineon work for Steinberg and we all just told Steinberg that their price is on point?!?!?!?! lol
If so, it’s too expensive! haha
By “expensive” I assume the OP is talking about the Professional level product.
Cubase Pro is a tremendous value for the money. You get, basically, a complete recording studio and creative music production environment.
I’ve looked at many demos for other DAWS and some offer excellent feature sets and functions but Cubase (with its issues known and unknown) is a top-notch product and, again, of them all, perhaps the product that offers the best value for the money. That was my calculation when deciding on Cubase back with Pro 8 for which I paid “full price.” In addition, Steinberg provides added value – support in these forums, youtube videos, its website.
Cost is always one of the big barriers to entry. I don’t think Cubase Pro is overpriced and I like that we own our licenses and do not have to upgrade if our system is working as many have chosen to do. Sticking with what works, works. 
My 2 pennies.
Maybe I can also shed some light from a historical perspective: When I started to try to produce music at home (I am NOT making a living with cubase and in many cases Cubase Pro is able to do much more than I actually need - so artist would be sufficient for sure) decades ago, I not even DARED to dream about the possibilites at the costs of Cubase. Homerecording was either on a really unpleasant level of quality and options or inaffordable for everbody. This has changed with the digitalization, with the virtualisation - the universal machine (computer) has saved our a**es. Steinberg is THE pioneer of this evolution and Cubase has all of that in its DNA. This leads to big advantages AND some disadvantages (it is always easier to start from scratch mimicking something that already exists!).
Looking at it from this angle supports my view that - well - cubase is NOT expensive. If “pro” is too much, there are options that work for home- and projectstudios absolutely more than sufficiently in the cubase family. (my brother and some friends use the “smallest” versions and are way more productive in a musical sense than I am… because they dont always ask for more features but simply making music with what they have in their hands!).
We live in golden times for home- and projectstudios. No matter whether we are amateurs or pros.
Im coming from protools to try cubase, so it wasnt that expensive cubase seems pretty unresponsive and slow GUI wise, clunky, automation midi/audio is pretty messy, colorizing this is messy too following track color, why? copying or even seeing all my inserts in my main window on each channel is not possible, teach me if Im wrong, but automation visability… if you draw a cartoon, outerline is always black… for a reason wtf
Just the vst instruments and effects alone are worth the price tag.
Real Talk.
No way 90% of studios use Pro Tools
I think for what it offers, Cubase Pro is tremendous value for money. I started out on Cubase on the Atari, when DAW’s didn’t even exist and even back then, it was revolutionary. I’be been using midi sequencers and DAWS for over 25 years.
As mentioned, yes, there are alternatives - many that took the groundwork and research that Cubase laid and ran with it; despite that, having been a longtime Cubase, Logic and PT user, for the work I do Cubase comes out on top. None over the level of midi editing Cubase does, and there are a lot of more ‘hidden’ tools that put others to shame (the PLE for example), Pool management, media bay.
Yes, there are other DAWS that have certain functionalities that Cubase doesn’t have - Reaper has taken big strides on the audio side, and is very effdicient - but imho, the GUI is a mess, it has no media bay nor the more advanced media management Cubase has.
Logic - it’s only cheap because Apple knows you’ll need to buy a Mac to run it. Its midi features seemed to not have been touched for over a decade, whilst the Garage Band side of things keeps improving. It has some great internal synths, in part by Apple buying up developers. But as a DAW. I think Cubase still has the edge.
Anyway, you got to decide whether the feature set is worth it for the kind of stuff you want to do. It might not be right for you - but that doesn’t mean its not good value for money.
Let’s see…I paid $7500 for 3 ADAT machines and a BRC controller, $3500 for a Soundcraft spirit mixer, $9000 for a Mackie digital mixer, $6500 for a refurbished Tascam 16 track reel to reel so when people complain about how much a DAW cost I just shake my head.
I think Cubase Pro is priced about right.